Ahoy mateys! Alas, thar be no new show today, and ye should be thanking yer lucky star, for this be “International Talk Like a Pirate Day!” Aaaarrrggh! I’d be daft to turn a blind ear to that siren’s song, and I’d be havin’ t’ talk in a sea dog voice. Today, I be too busy a shiverin me timbers and a swabbin’ the poopdecks. Return another day for me podcast booty, you land lubbers.

Mike- That’s my all time favorite pirate joke! How did you know? A funny story that I hope my sister doesn’t mind: she told that joke once and when she got to the punchline she said, “It’s driving me crazy!” That was funnier than the joke ever could have been.

Eric- Happy to listen and link. You remind me of another pirate joke.
A boy trick-or-treating comes to the door dressed as a pirate. The man at the door says, “Wow, a pirate! Where’s your buckaneer?” The kid replies, “Under my buckin’ hat.”

Do you saw the Emmy Awards last Sunday. They had a great opening with Stewie and Brian from “Family Guy”. It was so funny. And Joe Barbera was one of those guys who were on the obituaries. That so touched me.

Well i just started relistening to yur podcast after a long break, and figured i’d go ahead and ask you a question, and since yur email link said replying to a post is better here goes. And in light of the excellent holiday i shall pose my question as a pirate.

YArrRR.. Me blasted ears ‘ave been harkening yur bootiful podcast with that durned rogue glenn keane and me brain was a wonderin’. I be an animator, slavin’ on the galleys ‘oh television animation and bless me if my ase don’t be on fire from sittin’ on it scribblin’ away at work like a badger with a backache, narey do i often see a break of late. I was a wonderin’ what thar quota was a like on what fair winded features and all. Does yah often finds yah beein a slave, or be the work do-able like a parrot with a box of crackers. THanks me matey’, fer the fine spoils and plunder ‘yer podcast has filled me pitiful mind with. YAArrr may fair winds fill yer sails matey.

I’ll spare everyone the pirate talk for this one. Quotas are a pretty fluid thing, especially for an individual animator. They go up and down but for the most part, I’d say that 5 feet a week is standard. (That’s 3.33 seconds for you land lubbers.) And these days, that’s scene footage, not character. Keep in mind, that’s a number that animators should be averaging, and not everyone makes it, while others exceed it so it seems to work out in the end. Sometimes I don’t know how it happens, but we’ve yet to release a movie that wasn’t done.

I’ve seen some reels from studios where the animator indicated that the DAILY quotas were 3.5 seconds. Now that’s some crazy scheduling. Of course, they don’t have the luxury to polish and pretty much the first pass is the only pass, but that goes to show how varied it can be.

thanks fer the speedy reply. I’ve always wondered how different quotas were on different projects. i shared your 3 seconds with some friends at work and we all kinda drolled over it, it would be awsome to have that much time. Of course i also undertand that the work is that much more demanding. thanks again.

About Clay

Clay Kaytis animated at Walt Disney Animation Studios in sunny Burbank, California for 19 years. He is currently directing his first animated film outside of Disney. This podcast has grown out of his love for animation and the great people who make it. Clay promises this is the only time he will write in the third person. Click his picture for more info. He will stop now.